STUDY BUDDIES. | hajeongwoo

42.

"when will you stop being a disappointment?"

haruto tightly clench his fist as he stood in front of his father who continued to loom iver him, causing him to be so little. he could only see his mother in the side, with a look of distraught not knowing what will happen next, and his sister being left outside knowing that she's still too young to witness a business quarrel.

haruto did not respond, although he wanted to open his mouth and throw all the words that could describe his resentment, but continued to overlap his patience instead. its never gonna be easy, he knew so wellㅡ but the repugnance that remain caused him to face the consequences.

"and what do you mean that you oppose? we dealed with this already, haruto," his father heaved a disappointed sigh, his glare fixed over the male who tried his hardest not to falter. for the sake of love, of jeongwoo, of freedom itself. it's gonna be worth it if he tries.

"didn't we talked about this already? i made you pursue your dream and you agree with this contract!" the exclaimed, authorized voice reverberated throughout the whole room, causing haruto not to tremble in fear but in anger. it was never like that, in the end he was manipulated, and they acted like he had a single choice but did not have the competency to do so.

"what dream? i'm pursuing it because you're manipulating me! why don't you listen to me even just once, father?" haruto yelled, breathing becoming ragged as he lost control of his anger any longer. the same resentment, disdainㅡ no matter how much he tries to deny, it all ended up being hatred.

"why are you opposing now, you told me you love her! and now you're saying this? you're not just a disappointment but a hypocrite!"

love..?

haruto pursed his mouth in disbelief, not believing what the other has uttered. it was love, before. but after experiencing that just months ago, it caused him nothing but utter betrayal, and pain, and void that jeongwoo managed to fill.

he doesn't love her, anymore.

that was pellucid. there's no use denying that anymore. and he made it clear with her, too. so after he tell jeongwoo about his feelings for him, he promised to himself to convince his family and live with him, and only him. with nothing to worry, no threats, bothers, or anything related to this damned business.

but why can't they understand him, all the time?

"shut up.." haruto looked down, facing the ground with a distant look in his eyes, mind in a flamboyant chaos. where could he even start to release everything and slap the truth right in front of them? he might appear as disrespectful, a disappointment they say, but ohㅡ he accepted them all a long time ago.

but he can't say that it doesn't hurt.

haruto breathed, already revolted, the dark aura he usually had came back as fast as lightning. "stop taking everything away from me."

the tall male continued to clench his fist, more tightly this time, as if giving his anger into the force instead. "i love someone and it's not her, and you can't change my mind."

haruto looked up, a burning desire and hatred visible on his eyes that it was enough to make everyone shiver in immense fear. he wasn't the same dastard as he is back then.

"i can run away if i have to."

a few faint gasps was heard inside the room, an evidence that they were shocked to see him go through such lengths just to achieve his longed freedom.

"and who is this person? is he decent to satisfy your low standards?" he heard his father make a mocking sound, but haruto just continued to plaster a smirk, amused with his question although hurting inside from the recent argument.